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A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of
The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
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In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy
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by
Jacob Andrew Hovis May, 2020
APPROVAL SHEET
THE SPIRIT-LED PREACHING OF CHARLES H. SPURGEON
Jacob Andrew Hovis Read and Approved by:
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Hershael W. York (Chair)
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Thomas J. Nettles
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David E. Prince
Date______________________________
To Laura, my favorite.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS... vii
Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION... 1
Void in the Literature ... 4
Thesis ... 9
Methodology and Outline of Argument ... 10
2. SPURGEON’S SPIRIT-LED LIFE ... 14
Knill’s Prophecy ... 14
Compelled to Ministry ... 17
Conversion ... 17
Sent to Preach ... 20
Midsummer Commons ... 23
Criticism ... 24
James Wells ... 25
Surrey Gardens Tragedy ... 26
Health Issues ... 31
Gout... 31
Depression ... 35
Conclusion ... 37
3. INSPIRATION OF THE TEXT ... 38
Chapter Page
Doctrine of Inspiration ... 38
Plenary and Verbal Inspiration ... 39
Inerrancy of Scripture ... 45
Authority of Scripture ... 48
Treasured ... 49
God Spoke ... 51
Holy Spirit Speaks ... 52
Conclusion ... 53
4. ILLUMINATION OF THE PREACHER STUDYING THE TEXT ... 55
Based on Inspiration ... 56
Not Laziness or Unpredictability ... 57
Sermon Structure ... 61
Barriers to Illumination ... 63
Benefits of Illumination ... 65
Incarnational ... 66
Conclusion ... 67
5. CONVICTION OF THE MESSAGE ... 69
Need for Conviction ... 69
Authentication ... 72
Application ... 76
Not Legalism ... 76
Partnering in Application ... 80
Based on Clear Preaching of Jesus ... 83
Conclusion ... 86
6. EMPOWERMENT OF THE PREACHER ... 87
Chapter Page
Participate with the Holy Spirit in Preaching ... 87
Rejection of Human Manipulation ... 91
Weakness and Humility ... 97
Anointing of the Spirit ... 102
Effects of Empowerment ... 105
Conclusion ... 110
7. THE HOLY SPIRIT’S CHRISTOLOGICAL WITNESS ... 112
Christ is Scripture’s Theme ... 112
The Holy Spirit Glorifies Christ ... 118
New Testament Example ... 122
Christological by Design ... 127
Conclusion ... 133
8. SPIRIT-FILLED LIVING ... 135
Spirit-Called Preacher ... 135
Spirit-Educated Preacher ... 139
Preparing the Preacher ... 143
Spiritual Maturity of the Preacher ... 145
The Preacher’s Integrity and Transformation... 149
Passion for Preaching ... 154
Salvation Experience... 157
Quenching the Spirit ... 161
Conclusion ... 163
Appendix 1. TOP TEN SERMONS ACCORDING TO E.W. BACON... 165
BIBLIOGRAPHY ... 166
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS
MTP Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit NPSP New Park Street Pulpit
Lectures Lectures to my Students ST The Sword and the Trowel
PREFACE
To say that I feel inadequate to write about such a great man as Charles
Spurgeon would be an understatement. Spurgeon is a giant in the field of preaching while I am simply a giant. I was inspired by many godly men and women throughout the ages, yet as I learned more about each of them, I became disappointed with their failures and became less interested. Spurgeon is different. The more I learned about him and from him, the more I respected and admired him. He has shaped my life and ministry in countless ways. I have five framed pictures of him on my wall and that is in addition to the bust and bobblehead. A lifetime learning about the Savior through Spurgeon’s sermons and writings would be a life well lived, but you should still go outside every once in a while.
I am thankful for the Baptist church I accidently joined in college after filling out a visitor card. Being a member of it allowed me to attend The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at a price I could afford. I am, of course, also grateful for the Cooperative Program, which made this possible. My two favorite aspects of the Southern Baptist Convention are the Cooperative Program and the potlucks. I am thankful for Southern and all of the godly men who influenced me during my time as a M.Div. student and as a Ph.D. candidate. These men include fellow students, who taught me so much, as well as professors who taught me even more. I will fondly remember the time spent in seminars when we would laugh so much that other professors would enter the classroom to see what was happening. We would also discuss important matters.
I would like to specifically thank my advisor, Hershael York. He is exactly the kind of man I want to be, and he is encouraging in a fatherly way. I say that because every time I made him laugh, he would say how much I remind him of his son. I would
also like to specifically thank Dr. Nettles who encouraged me and help me complete this dissertation. I was getting really sick of this dissertation before I spoke with Dr. Nettles.
During the duration of this doctorate program, I have been employed as a teacher and debate coach. I am grateful to Valor Christian High School for its support. It has helped both financially and by provided time off for seminars. Go Eagles!
A special gratitude must be extended to my wife, Laura. She is the kindest person I know and my biggest fan. She has helped me through this process more than anyone knows. From typing up bibliographies and annotation to encouraging me when the task seemed too big, my Sugar Bear has always been there for me. This project would not be complete without her. Plus, she’s pretty.
Ultimately, I would like to thank my Savior. He loved me when I was unlovable. He is full of mercy, of which I am so very grateful. Jesus is my only hope.
May everything I do bring him glory.
Jake Hovis Denver, Colorado
May 2020
CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION
One Saturday, the time for sermon preparation had arrived. Charles H.
Spurgeon (1834-1892) shut himself in his study. A fellow minister arrived at his house, and though he did not give his name, he said, “Tell Mr. Spurgeon that a servant of the Lord wishes to see him.” Spurgeon replied, “Tell the man that I am busy with his Master.” Spurgeon then discovered that the minister at his door was W. Poole Balfern, ran out to meet him, clasped both his hands in his own, and cheerfully welcomed him into his home. Long afterwards, Balfern expressed in an interview, “I learned then that the secret of Mr. Spurgeon’s success was, that he was cradled in the Holy Ghost.”1
While Spurgeon became quite successful, such a prediction would have been hard to make given Spurgeon’s humble beginnings. He was born the oldest child into a poor family led by a nonconformist pastor. Spurgeon’s parents were so poor that they sent young Charles to live with his grandparents in Stambourne. His grandfather was also a nonconformist pastor. Spurgeon spent many days reading the puritan books in his grandfather’s library. He was a serious child, even to the point of confronting a man in his grandfather’s church for blatantly sinning.2
At the age of five, Spurgeon moved back into his parents’ home. He excelled in school except when to do so would put him further away from the fire.3 In his teenage
1 C. H. Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon’s Autobiography, Compiled from His Diary, Letters, and Records, by His Wife and His Private Secretary, 1854–1860 (Chicago: Fleming H. Revell Company, 1899), 2:181. Emphasis in original.
2 Ibid., 1:23-24.
3 Ibid., 1:44.
years, he again lived away from his parents as he continued his schooling. During this time, although he was a convinced Baptist, he was yet to be a converted Christian.4 That all changed when he went to a primitive Methodist chapel during a snow storm when he was fifteen.5 From that day until the day of his death, Spurgeon was a passionate believer.
Spurgeon began his ministry shortly after his conversion. He passed out tracts in the towns surrounding his school and taught Sabbath-school at his Baptist church. He preached his first sermon at the age of sixteen when Mr. James Vinter convinced him to accompany another young man to a church service a few miles away. Both Spurgeon and his companion believed that the other was to preach. While walking, Spurgeon
reluctantly agreed to preach.6 He went on to preach over 600 times before he turned twenty. Over the course of his lifetime, he preached to an estimated 10 million people.7 He is also widely known as “The Prince of Preachers.”8
Spurgeon pastored a church in the country before moving to London. His first pastorate was at a church in Waterbeach. He served this church starting when he was sixteen. During this time, the church attendance rose dramatically, many souls were saved, and the town was transformed. He was then contacted by New Park Street Chapel.
At the time, this church owned the largest Baptist building in the world. It could seat 1,200 but, at this time, hardly more than 200 regularly attended.9 At first, Spurgeon was convinced they meant to invite someone else because he was only nineteen. He agreed to
4 Spurgeon, Autobiography. 1:50.
5 The exact date of his conversion is in question. The most probable date is January 13, 1850.
For a detailed exploration, see Lewis Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids:
Kregel Publications, 1992), 124-31.
6 C. H. Spurgeon, The Sword and Trowel: 1880 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1880), 5.
7 Eric Hayden, “Charles H. Spurgeon: Did You Know?,” Christian History, no. 29 (1991): 2.
8 This phrase was popularized most recently by Lewis Drummond in his 900-page biography, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers.
9 Spurgeon, Autobiography. 1:263.
preach there in London. The church and the deacons were immediately impressed. Not only that, they were convinced that they had their new pastor.
Spurgeon began his ministry in London taking a pastorate which would last the rest of his life. The New Park Street church attendance exploded. Soon, Spurgeon was preaching to crowds in excess of 5,000 people at Exeter Hall. In 1861, the church moved into the newly completed 6,000 seat Metropolitan Tabernacle. Though he was never formally educated, Spurgeon pastored the “largest church in Christendom.”10 In addition to this, he published more than 18 million words before his death in 1892.11 He sold over 56 million sermons throughout his ministry. His sermons were translated into nearly forty languages.12 In fact, he quite possibly may have been the most popular preacher in
Orthodox Russia.13 Though he was first met with criticism in London, soon his popularity soared. He and Prime Minister William Gladstone exchanged letters. Gladstone even made it a point to visit the Tabernacle.14 According the legend, Queen Victoria donned pedestrian garb in order to hear Spurgeon preach at the Royal Surrey Gardens Music Hall.15
Not only is Spurgeon widely considered one of the best preachers ever to stand in a pulpit, but in the foreword to Lewis Drummond’s biography of Spurgeon, Carl F. H.
Henry describes Spurgeon as “one of evangelical Christianity’s immortals”.16 Spurgeon
10 Eric Hayden, Highlights in the Life of C. H. Spurgeon (Pasadena, TX: Pilgrim Publications, 1990), 17.
11 Ibid., 75.
12 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 4:291.
13 Mark Hopkins, Nonconformity’s Romantic Generation: Evangelical and Liberal Theologies in Victorian England, Studies in Evangelical History and Thought (Waynesboro, GA: Paternoster, 2004), 155.
14 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 4:183.
15 Christian T. George, “Jesus Christ, The ‘Prince of Pilgrims’: A Critical Analysis of the Ontological, Functional, and Exegetical Christologies in the Sermons, Writings, and Lectures of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (1834-1892)” (Ph.D. diss., University of St. Andrews, 2011), 4.
16 Drummond, Spurgeon, 11.
was also known for working up to eighteen hours in a day.17 The great pioneer missionary David Livingstone one asked Spurgeon how he was able to do two men’s work in a single day. Spurgeon replied, “You have forgotten that there are two of us, and the one you see the least of often does the most work.”18 He was, of course, referring to the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit.
For Spurgeon, his life in general and his pulpit ministry in particular most needed the sacred influence of the Holy Spirit. If a preacher were to bring the truth and power of the gospel to bear upon the minds and consciences of the congregation, he could only do so under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. With the power of the Holy Spirit, Spurgeon was able to work long hours advancing the kingdom through his writing, preaching, and ministerial organizations such as The Pastor’s College and Stockwell Orphanage. By being cradled by the Holy Spirit, Spurgeon became one of the world’s greatest preachers.
Void in the Literature
In the two years after his death, a new biography of Charles H. Spurgeon was written every month.19 As Christian George pointed out in his dissertation, many of these biographies were largely hagiographic. This includes those written by G. Holden Pike, J.
Manton Smith, Russell Conwell, Henry Davenport Northop, Thomas Handford, George C. Needham, H. L. Wayland, James J. Ellis, and Robert Shindler.20 Zachary Eswine has provided a rather extensive review of these biographies.21 These works have been
17 Hayden, “Charles H. Spurgeon,” 3.
18 Russell H. Conwell, Life of Charles H. Spurgeon (Nashville: Central Publishing House, 1892), 235.
19 Arnold Dallimore, Spurgeon: A New Biography (Carlisle, PA: Moody Press, 1985), ix.
20 George, “Jesus Christ, The ‘Prince of Pilgrims’, 18.
21 Zachary Eswine, “The Role of the Holy Spirit in the Preaching Theory and Practice of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., Regent University, 2003), 3–21.
consulted but have marginal value in the current study. They were written while those with first-hand knowledge about Spurgeon were still alive; however, most of these works contain very little unique information and even less critical information. They were written, it seems, to rehash well-worn stories of the great man and pay homage to his legacy. That is not to say that these works are in fact hagiographic. There is little
evidence that these authors overlooked Spurgeon’s character flaws. It seems much more likely that Spurgeon did in fact live a godly life.
The next work was Spurgeon’s autobiography which was compiled after his death by his wife and his private secretary J.W. Harrald.22 It was first published in four volumes in the years 1897-1900. Much of the material contained in this work was first published in the The Sword and the Trowel, Spurgeon’s monthly publication. Spurgeon acknowledged that The Sword and the Trowel was “in some sense our autobiography.”23 The Autobiography was much longer that most of the previous works. As such, it did include some unique information such as personal letters written by Spurgeon and anecdotes written by his wife Susannah. Subsequent works on Spurgeon reference the Autobiography extensively.
The next batch of biographies sought to have more critical appraisal but were not successful. Two of these were written by former students at the Pastor’s College. The first was written by William Y. Fullerton in 1920.24 He was a close friend of Spurgeon for several years as evidenced by the number of letters Spurgeon wrote to him.25 The other was written by John C. Carlisle in 1933.26 While these contain some interesting
22 Tom Nettles, Living by Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Ross-shire, Scotland: Mentor Imprint, 2013), 9.
23 C. H. Spurgeon, The Sword and Trowel: 1885 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1885), 25.
24 W.Y. Fullerton, C. H. Spurgeon: A Biography (London: Williams and Norgate, 1920).
25 C. H. Spurgeon, The Letters of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (London: Marshall Brothers, Limited, 1923), 158–71.
26 J. C. Carlile, Charles Spurgeon: An Interpretative Biography (London: Kingsgate Press,
reminiscences, they are not unlike the other biographies written at this time that they repeated much of the hagiography of the previous century.27
The latter half of the twentieth century saw some very fine works produced concerning Spurgeon. While concise and written at a more popular level, the best of these works is by Arnold Dallimore.28 Two books by Iain Murray are also worth mentioning.
These are The Forgotten Spurgeon and Spurgeon & Hyper-Calvinsim.29 While these books deal with specific issues rather than Spurgeon’s life as a whole, they contain solid scholarship. The last book that deserves to be mentioned at this time is Lewis
Drummond’s Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers. Some consider this nearly 900-page to be the definitive biography on Spurgeon.30 However, others find this book to be riddled with historical inaccuracies and questionable scholarship practices.31 While this is a concern, Drummond is generally reliable.
In 2013, another biography was published that not only took a unique angle with regard to source material and content but also raised the level of scholarship
concerning the study of Spurgeon. Unlike Drummond’s work which occasionally leaves out citations, this new work is well researched and properly footnoted. This new
biography is Living by Revealed Truth by Tom Nettles. It takes as its main source
1933).
27 Peter J. Morden, Communion with Christ and His People: The Spirituality of C. H. Spurgeon (Eugene, OR: Pickwick Publications, 2014), 5.
28 Dallimore, Spurgeon.
29 Iain H. Murray, The Forgotten Spurgeon (Edinburgh: Banner of Truth, 1966); Iain H.
Murray, Spurgeon v. Hyper-Calvinism: The Battle for Gospel Preaching (Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1995).
30 Austin B. Tucker, The Preacher as Storyteller: The Power of Narrative in the Pulpit (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2008), 176.
31 Morden, Communion with Christ and His People, 5. This rises to such a level that Christian George, one of the leading Spurgeon scholars and the former curator of the Spurgeon Library at
Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, refused to cite Drummond in his dissertation without a more reliable cross-check. George, “Jesus Christ, The ‘Prince of Pilgrims’, 21.
material The Sword and the Trowel “to understand his theology of pastoral ministry”.32 While many other biographies have successfully treated Spurgeon’s life and ministry, Nettles brings a unique focus to Spurgeon’s theology. It is a look into the mind of this most influential preacher, and it covers both the breadth and depth of this subject beautifully.
There have been twenty-nine theses and dissertations written with Spurgeon as their primary focus.33 Interest in Spurgeon has been increasing in recent years. From
32 Nettles, Living by Revealed Truth, 9.
33 Jeremy Duane Jessen, “Mr. Valiant for Truth: The Polemic of Charles Haddon Spurgeon as Pastor-Theologian During the Downgrade Controversy (1887-1892)” (Ph.D. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2019); Ahn Shinyul, “A Critical Examination of Selected Biographical Sermons of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017); Dale Warren Smith, “The Victorian Preacher’s Malady: The Metaphorical Usage of Gout in the Life of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., University of Missouri - Kansas City, 2017); Keeney Ray Dickenson, “Preaching From the Overflow of Personal Piety: The Contribution of Prayer and Bible Intake to the Pulpit Ministry of Charles Spurgeon” (D.Min. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2017); Elma Ray Rhodes Jr., “The Role of Bible Intake and Prayer in the Marriage of Charles and Susannah Spurgeon” (D.Min.
thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2016); William Brian Albert, “‘When the Wind Blows Cold’: The Spirituality of Suffering and Depression in the Life and Ministry of Charles Spurgeon” (Ph.D.
diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015); Frederick Monroe Barton, “Developing a Leadership Training Curriculum Based on Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Lectures to My Students for Use at the West Elk Bible Institute in Gunnison, Colorado” (D.Min. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2015); Nicholas Brennecke, “Gout Killed Him: A Study of Spurgeon’s Health” (M.A. thesis, Virginia Beach Theological Seminary, 2015); John W. Lewis, “Insights From Charles Spurgeon’s Christ- Centered Preaching for a Changing Culture” (D.Min thesis, Liberty University, 2012); Arthur Gene Rice,
“A Critical Examination of Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Theory and Practice of Sermon Illustrations”
(Ph.D. diss., New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, 2012); George, “Jesus Christ, The ‘Prince of Pilgrims’"; Veeneenea Erika Smith, “Dinna Forget Spurgeon: A Literary Biography” (Ph.D. diss., Case Western Reserve University, 2006); T. Michael O’Neal Jr., “An Analysis of the Ministry of Charles H.
Spurgeon, With Implications for the Modern Church Growth Movement” (Ph.D. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2006); Eswine, “The Role of the Holy Spirit”; Timothy HeeBoon Yap,
“Reading the Surrey Gardens Tragedy: Trauma, Ethos and the Rhetoric of Charles Haddon Spurgeon”
(Ph.D. diss., The Florida State University, 2002); Kevin Wayne Regal, “Charles H. Spurgeon’s Theology of Prayer” (Th.M. thesis, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 2000); Kent Ellis Sweatman, “The Doctrines of Calvinism in the Preaching of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1998); Larry James Michael, “The Effects of Controversy on the Evangelistic Ministry of C.H. Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989); Rodney Douglas Earls, “The Evangelistic Strategy of Charles Haddon Spurgeon for the Multiplication of Churches and Implications for Modern Church Extension Theory” (Ph.D. diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989); John David Talbert, “Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Christological Homiletics: A Critical Evaluation of Selected Sermons from Old Testament Texts” (Ph.D. diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989); Timothy Albert McCoy, “The Evangelistic Ministry of C.H. Spurgeon: Implications for a Contemporary Model for Pastoral Evangelism” (Ph.D. diss., The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1989); Robert Lewis Duncan, “An Investigation of the Preaching Style of Charles Haddon Spurgeon and Its Relevance to Contemporary Preaching” (Th.D. diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1979); Jeremy F. Thornton, “The Soteriology of C.H. Spurgeon: Its Biblical and Historical Roots and Its Place in His Preaching” (Ph.D. diss., University of Cambridge, 1974); Albert Roger Meredith, “The Social and Political Views of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., Michigan State University, 1973); Patricia Stallings Kruppa, “Charles Haddon Spurgeon, A Preacher’s Progress” (Ph.D. diss., Columbia University, 1968); J. D. Zeluff, “A Critique of English Speaking Preaching, 1864-1964” (Ph.D. diss., University of Aberdeen, 1964); William H. Crook, “The Contributive Factors in the Life and Preaching of Charles
1980 to 2010, ten dissertations and theses were written. That number goes up to nine in the years since 2010 with five of the nine being Ph.D. dissertations. Many different subjects have been covered by this scholarship; however, not much has been written concerning Spurgeon and the Holy Spirit.
There is one major exception to this: Zachary Eswine’s 2003 dissertation on the role of the Holy Spirit in the preaching theory and practice of Spurgeon.34 This dissertation, however, has a very different focus from the current work. Eswine wrote as part of a Ph.D. in Communications from Regent University. As such, he was much more concerned with rhetorical theory. Eswine writes, “In this study, the writings of Charles Spurgeon are explored to promote an eloquence or rhetoric of the Holy Spirit for preaching theory and practice, which in turn, underscores an emerging theory of gospel- oratory, distinct in purpose and kind from traditional rhetorical theory.”35 Eswine argues that to the five canons of rhetoric, traditionally associated with Aristotle, “there is added a sixth canon, which refers to the immediate and partial inspiration of the Holy Spirit in the presence of the preaching event. The preaching event, therefore, is understood as a
“plural-event” in which God pairs his voice with the preacher’s voice.”36
Therefore, a void remains in the literature for a discussion based on Spurgeon and the Holy Spirit that comes from a more theological rather than rhetorical approach.
After all, Spurgeon would consider himself a preacher long before he considers himself a rhetorician.
Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1957); Paul Charles Klose,
“The Preaching of Charles Haddon Spurgeon” (Ph.D. diss., Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, 1956);
Henry Franklin Colquitt, “The Soteriology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon Revealed in His Sermons and Controversial Writings” (Ph.D. diss., The University of Edinburgh, 1951); Theodore Franklin Nelson,
“Charles Haddon Spurgeon’s Theory and Practice of Preaching” (Ph.D. diss.,The University of Iowa, 1944); Robert Strong, “A Study of the Factors of Persuasion in the Sermons of Charles Haddon Spurgeon”
(M.A. thesis, University of Southern California, 1933).
34 Eswine, “The Role of the Holy Spirit.”
35 Ibid, v.
36 Ibid.
Thesis
The primary purpose of this dissertation is to examine Spurgeon’s ministry and writings through the lens of Greg Heisler’s Spirit-Led Preaching to demonstrate that Spurgeon was, by Heisler’s six characteristics, a Spirit-led preacher. Secondary questions include: Did Spurgeon demonstrate adherence to the Spirit’s ministry for preaching in his sermons? Did he teach young preachers to be Spirit-led preachers?
As this dissertation will argue that Spurgeon was a Spirit-led preacher, the term
“Spirit-led preacher” must be defined. In his work, Spirit-Led Preaching, Greg Heisler noted six ways in which the “the Spirit’s ministry for preaching is intentionally and explicitly identified”. These are “(1) the inspiration of the text, (2) the illumination of the preacher studying the text, (3) the conviction of the message, (4) the empowerment of the preacher, (5) the Spirit’s Christological witness, and (6) Spirit-filled living.”37
Throughout the rest of his book, Heisler further expounds on each of these aspects of the Holy Spirit’s ministry with regards to preaching. Therefore, this dissertation will argue that Spurgeon was a Spirit-led preacher in that he preached and taught preachers to proclaim the Holy Spirit’s role in the inspiration of the text, the illumination of the preacher in studying the text, the conviction of the message, the empowerment of the preacher, the rightful preaching of Christ, and living a life of devotion and piety. To clarify, proving that Spurgeon was in fact led by the Holy Spirit is a task that is either impossible or nearly impossible. This dissertation will not attempt to prove the
supernatural influence of the Holy Spirit on Spurgeon’s life and ministry. Instead, this dissertation will take the categories of a Spirit-led preacher as outlined by Heisler and demonstrate that Spurgeon was a Spirit-led preacher because of the doctrines he preached, how he conducted his life, and the advice he gave to other preachers.
37 Greg Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching: The Holy Spirit’s Role in Sermon Preparation and Delivery, rev. ed. (Nashville: B&H Academic, 2018), 21.
Methodology and Outline of Argument
Spurgeon’s literary output was enormous. He produced more than “any other Christian author, living or dead.”38 As such, this dissertation will rely most heavily on Spurgeon’s own words. The portions of his books, articles, and letters that discuss the Holy Spirit’s ministry with regards to preaching will be examined. Attention will be given to Spurgeon’s sermons which detail his doctrine of the Holy Spirit with respect to issues like illumination of Scripture and the conviction of the message. Attention will also be given to those works in which Spurgeon instructs preachers, namely Lectures to My Students and All-Round Ministry. In order to discuss Spurgeon’s life of piety as well as his attributing certain events in his life to the work of the Spirit, his autobiography and numerous biographies will be consulted. These will pass through the framework built by Heisler. In doing so, this dissertation will prove that Spurgeon measured by those criteria was a Spirit-led preacher.
Chapter 1 introduces Charles Spurgeon by briefly demonstrating the enormous success and influence he achieved. It gives special attention to how he was said to, both by himself and others, have a special relationship with the Holy Spirit. It then discusses the voids in literature concerning Spurgeon and the Holy Spirit before stating the research question of what part did the Holy Spirit play in Spurgeon’s pulpit ministry. Chapter one finishes by outlining the thesis of this dissertation, the importance of the study, and provide the methodology as well as the outline of argumentation.
Before moving on to focus on the pulpit ministry of Spurgeon in the rest of the dissertation, chapter two observes his life. It highlights events in Spurgeon’s life which he attributed to the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This chapter starts by discussing Richard Knill’s prophecy that Spurgeon would be a great preacher. It moves on to the unusual circumstances that led him to be compelled to the ministry including his conversion.
38 Lewis Drummond, “The Secrets of Spurgeon’s Preaching: Why Would Thousands Come to Hear Him?,” Christian History & Biography, no. 29 (January 1, 1991).
Next, this chapter discusses Spurgeon hearing the voice of God while walking through the Midsummer Commons. It also touches upon the fierce criticism he experienced as a young pastor in London and how the Holy Spirit strengthened him. Finally, it discusses his health issues, which include gout and depression, and how he said this forced him to rely to a greater degree on the Spirit.
Chapter 3 begins the process by which Spurgeon is shown to be a Spirit-led preacher. This and the next five chapters discuss the ways “the Spirit’s ministry for preaching is intentionally and explicitly identified.”39 This chapter will begin with a discussion of Spurgeon’s doctrine of inspiration. It specifically shows how Spurgeon believed in the inerrancy of Scripture as well as had an attituded toward Scripture that could best be described as adoration. He treasured the Bible. This chapter then considers the implication of God having spoken in Spurgeon’s pulpit ministry before ending with the idea that the Holy Spirit still speaks.
Chapter 4 discusses the topic of illumination of the preacher studying the text.
This concept is based upon inspiration, yet even though the faithful preacher can expect illumination from the Holy Spirit, this should never be an excuse for laziness or
unpredictability. Sin and lack of prayer can be barriers to illumination, but an illuminated preacher is a powerful preacher. The illumination can help the preacher better incarnate the truths of Scripture making it more relevant to the readers. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit is the most capable teacher. As the Spirit illuminates the text in the study, the truths of Scripture are driven into the preacher’s heart and mind until he is able to internalize it.
Calvin called this process imprinting.40 Spurgeon acknowledged that the Holy Spirit must guide the preacher while studying. He pushed this idea a bit further by teaching that the
39 Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, 21.
40 Geneva Catechism, quoted in T. F. Torrance, The School of Faith (London: J. Clark, 1959).
Question 302.
Holy Spirit must aid the preacher in choosing the text.
Chapter 5 covers the conviction of the message. Spurgeon was clear that we cannot make men come to Jesus. That is the work of the Holy Spirit. This conviction is based upon clear preaching of Jesus. Spurgeon said, “We can preach Christ to sinners if we cannot preach sinners to Christ.”41 Specifically, it is the Spirit’s work to authenticate Scripture. As he moves through the sermon, the Holy Spirit declares that what is being spoken by the faithful preacher is true. The Spirit also applies the words to the lives of the hearers. Instead of filling in every blank for the congregation and thereby producing legalistic sermons, the Spirit-led preacher trust the spirit to make the connects between the sermon and the hearers’ lives.42
Chapter 6 focuses on the empowerment of the preacher. The preacher partners with the Holy Spirit so, in a sense, both the preacher and the Spirit are preaching.
Spurgeon acknowledged that while he was in the pulpit, “God the Holy Ghost speaks by me now.”43 This process rejects all human manipulation. Rather the Holy Spirit
empowers the preacher and thereby transforms lives. The Spirit-led preacher experiences freedom, vitality, unction, and possession when he is empowered by the Holy Spirit to preach.44 Spurgeon, likewise, taught young preachers to seek the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
Chapter 7 covers the Holy Spirit’s Christological witness. Christ is the theme of the Bible. He is the supreme subject of Scripture. In addition to this, it is the role of the Holy Spirit to glorify Christ. “The Spirit hears Jesus and applies Jesus to us.”45 The New
41 C. H. Spurgeon, The Sword and Trowel: 1883 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1883), 208.
42 Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, 133.
43 C. H. Spurgeon, “An Urgent Request for an Immediate Answer,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 37 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1891), 599.
44 Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, 166–69.
45 Ibid., 61.
Testament examples point to a Christological witness. Paul desired to know nothing but Christ and him crucified. The heart of Paul’s preaching was Christ. The Spirit-led preacher in general, and Spurgeon in particular, preach redemptive sermons that draw attention to the person and work of Jesus by design not by accident. “A sermon without Christ as its beginning, middle, and end is a mistake in conception and a crime in execution. However grand the language it will be merely much-ado-about-nothing if Christ be not there.”46
Chapter 8 finishes the discussion of the six ways the Spirit’s ministry is explicitly identified by considering how the Spirit-led preacher lives a Spirit-filled life.
Part of the role of the Holy Spirit is to prepare the preacher to be a herald for God. This is done through character development as well as through personal piety. In both of these regards, Spurgeon was well prepared to be a preacher of God’s Word. Part of the preparation process includes, of course, the preacher’s salvation. The most powerful preachers never get over the wonder and joy of their salvation experience.47 Spurgeon was no different. He constantly retold the story of his salvation. The Spirit-led preacher must be Spirit-called. He is to be summoned to the pulpit by God himself.48 Spurgeon agreed. In his Pastor’s College, he would not allow men to enroll who were not already preachers. His goal was to enable men to be powerful preachers and fervent soul- winners.49
46 C. H. Spurgeon, “Without Christ—Nothing,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 27 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1881), 598.
47 Heisler, Spirit-Led Preaching, 78.
48 Ibid., 81.
49 Dallimore, Spurgeon, 105.
CHAPTER 2
SPURGEON’S SPIRIT-LED LIFE
Spurgeon was a Spirit-led preacher because he lived a Spirit-led life. From the time he was a boy through to the end of his life, Spurgeon depicted the evidence of the Spirit of God. While a child, a quite famous preacher pronounced that Spurgeon would be a great preacher of the gospel. This happened before the lad was even converted. Much unusual activity surrounded Spurgeon’s conversion and his later entrance into the ministry. Much of this bears the fingerprints of Divine sovereignty. After taking up the preaching ministry at a church in Waterbeach, Spurgeon sought university training before being halted in this quest by both providence and the voice of God. When he arrived in London to begin his ministry at New Park Street Chapel, he faced fierce and unwarranted criticism. This culminated in a tragic event at the Royal Surrey Gardens Music Hall.
Through these dark times, the Holy Spirit strengthened Spurgeon. This strength was also evident in Spurgeon’s daily life as he suffered from gout and depression. In all these circumstances of this great man’s life, Spurgeon seemed to be led by the Spirit.
Knill’s Prophecy
Due to economic hardship, Spurgeon’s parents sent fourteen-months-old Spurgeon to live with his grandparents in Stambourne. His grandfather was a
nonconformist pastor and young Spurgeon learned much from him. He returned to the care of his parents at the age of six.1 As such, Stambourne and his grandfather held a special place in his heart. As a boy, Spurgeon spent his time not devoted to school in
1 Lewis Drummond, Spurgeon: Prince of Preachers, 3rd ed. (Grand Rapids: Kregel Publications, 1992), 77-8.
Stambourne. In Stambourne, the preacher Richard Knill saw something special in young Spurgeon.
Richard Knill’s name was a “household word” and his “memory is precious to thousands at home and abroad”.2 In 1844, Knill traveled from town to town in the county of Essex as part of the London Missionary Society. As part of that journey, he spent a few days at a parsonage in Stambourne.3 Though he only stayed a couple of days, Knill spent much time speaking with the young Spurgeon. This talk was not mere pleasantries but was all about Jesus and the pleasantness of loving Him. Knill pleaded with Spurgeon for the salvation of his soul.4 On three successive days he taught the boy and prayed with him.5 “After even more earnest prayer alone with his little protégé, he appeared to have a burden on his mind, and he could not go till he had eased himself of it.”6
Knill later said that he felt a singular interest in Spurgeon. It was an
expectation for which he could not account. While the family was gathered for morning prayers, Knill took Spurgeon on his knee in front of all of them.7 He then said:
I do not know how it is, but I feel a solemn presentiment that this child will preach the gospel to thousands, and God will bless him to many souls. So sure am I of this, that when my little man preaches in Rowland Hill’s Chapel, as he will do one day, I should like him to promise me that he will give out the hymn beginning, ‘God moves in a mysterious way, His wonders to perform.’8
This prediction came true. After Spurgeon had been preaching in London for some time, Dr. Alexander Fletcher was supposed to deliver the annual sermon to children
2 C. H. Spurgeon, The Sword and Trowel: 1865 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1865), 123.
3 C. H. Spurgeon and Benjamin Beddow. Memories of Stambourne (London: Passmore &
Alabaster, 1892), 101.
4 Spurgeon, ST: 1865, 124.
5 C. H. Spurgeon, C. H. Spurgeon Autobiography, vol. 2: The Full Harvest 1860-1892, rev. ed.
(Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 2006), 1:34.
6 Spurgeon, ST: 1865, 124.
7 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:34.
8 Spurgeon, ST: 1865, 124.
in the Surrey Chapel, Rowland Hill’s former chapel. Fletcher became too sick to preach and Spurgeon was offered the opportunity to be a last-minute replacement. Spurgeon agreed with the stipulation that the children sing “God moves in a mysterious way”
because he had made a promise a long time ago that that song should be sung. The song was sung and Spurgeon preached in Rowland Hill’s chapel.9
Spurgeon, however, was not clear that the Surrey Chapel was the venue which Knill intended. Rowland Hill also ministered in his summer residence at Wotton-under- Edge. Though Spurgeon never sought to preach in this place, the minister at Wotton- under-Edge invited him there to preach. Spurgeon accepted the invitation on the same condition as he made for the Surrey Chapel. At both of these chapels once occupied by Rowland Hill, Spurgeon preached, “God moves in a mysterious way” was sung, and the prophecy spoken by Richard Knill was fulfilled.
Spurgeon later pondered if Knill’s words brought about their own fulfilment.
He surmised that they did. From the day this prophecy was spoken over him, he believed it and looked forward to the day when he would preach. He felt very sure that no
unconverted person should dare enter the ministry though he, at the time of the prophesy, was an unconverted boy of about ten-year-old. This made him seek salvation all the more intently. When grace enabled him to cast himself on the Savior’s love, he quickly began to speak of Christ’s redemption.10 The fact that Richard Knill saw the benefit in spending time praying with the grandson of a fellow minister made a lasting impression on
Spurgeon who would become just as passionate at soul-winning. It may also be true, as Spurgeon pointed out, that Knill may have affected more souls for the good of the gospel by spending time with that boy than he could have through dozens of sermons to crowded
9 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:34.
10 Ibid., 1:35.
audiences.11
Spurgeon’s life was led by the Spirit. It was the Holy Spirit that burdened Richard Knill to prophesy such a specific prediction, a prediction that ultimately came true. As Spurgeon acknowledges, this prophecy was, at least in part, self-fulfilling. It directed Spurgeon during his childhood and set him up as a willing servant once he was converted.
Compelled to Ministry
Spurgeon’s hope of salvation came true through a series of odd events.
Throughout this experience, the hand of God can be seen directing Spurgeon’s life.
Lowly people, the weather, and the conviction of the Holy Spirit all had a part to play in bringing Spurgeon to the cross. Once there, Spurgeon’s fervor burned. He labored to expand the Kingdom of God. Though he willingly taught Sunday school, he had to be tricked into preaching his first sermon. His life seemed to be led by the Holy Spirit.
Spurgeon later admitted as much when, through the lens of time, he was able to see that he was compelled to ministry.
Conversion
The Holy Spirit seemingly compelling Spurgeon into the ministry began with his conversion. As the son and grandson of pastors, Spurgeon had a deep understanding of the Bible. In fact, due in large part to his grandfather’s influence, Spurgeon had a rather Puritan upbringing. His grandfather ministered in the same spirit of the Puritans, and young Spurgeon spent much time reading the Puritan books in his grandfather’s house.12 As a boy, he read Richard Baxter’s Saint’s Rest, Joseph Alleine’s Alarm to the Unconverted, John Bunyan’s Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners, and other books
11 Spurgeon, ST: 1865, 125.
12 Drummond, Spurgeon, 78.
like these.13 Likewise, it was the custom for Spurgeon’s mother to spend Sunday
evenings with her young children explaining Scripture and reading portions of Alleine’s Alarm or Baxter’s Call to the Unconverted.14 Spurgeon later said that this reading gave him dreams of flames and hardened his heart rather than melted it.15
With such a background, the fact that Spurgeon came under deep conviction of sin is no small wonder. “When I was in the hand of the Holy Spirit, under conviction of sin, I had a clear and sharp sense of the justice of God. Sin, whatever it might be to other people, became to me an intolerable burden.”16 Spurgeon did not fear hell, but feared sin and by sinning that he might bring dishonor to God’s name and the integrity of His moral government. He, however, was familiar with the plan of salvation. He heard of the
sacrifice of Jesus in the gospel from the time of his youth, yet in his innermost soul, he did not know anything of salvation. In this way, he was no better off than one who had never heard the name Jesus. “The light was there, but I was blind: it was of necessity that the Lord Himself should make the matter plain to me.”17
God showed Himself to this downcast boy of fifteen.18 God intervened in Spurgeon’s life in the form of a snowstorm. Spurgeon said, “I sometimes think I might have been in darkness and despair until now had it not been for the goodness of God in sending a snowstorm.”19 That Sunday in January, Spurgeon was home from his boarding
13 C. H. Spurgeon, “Sickness and Prayer, Healing and Praise,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol. 57 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1911), 521.
14 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:68.
15 C. H. Spurgeon, “The Old, Old Story,” in The Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Sermons, vol.
8 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1862), 235–6.
16 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:98.
17 Ibid.
18 The most likely date of Spurgeon conversion is January 13, 1850 although a strong case can be made for January 6, 1850. See Drummond, Spurgeon, 124–31.
19 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:105.
school and directed by his father to attend a certain place of worship. He walked through the storm until he could go no more and turned down a side street into a Primitive Methodist Chapel. The church had fifteen or fewer souls in it that morning.20
The storm was so bad that it even prevented the regular minister from
attending, yet the service continued in his absence. Eventually, “a very thin-looking man, a shoemaker, of tailor, or something of that sort, went up into the pulpit to preach.”21 He was not trained to preach and did not have a lot to say. As such, he stayed very close to the text which was “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth” (Isaiah 45:22). According to Spurgeon, he did not even pronounce the words correctly, but that did not matter.22
The preacher began thus:—“My dear friends, this is a very simple text indeed. It says, ‘Look’. Now lookin’ don’t take a deal of pains. It ain’t liftin’ your foot or your finger; it is just, ‘Look.’ Well, a man needn’t go to College to learn to look. You may be the biggest fool, and yet you can look. A man needn’t be worth a thousand a year to be able to look. Anyone can look; even a child can look. But then the text says, ‘Look unto Me.’ Ay!” said he, in broad Essex, “many on ye are lookin’ to yourselves, but it’s no use lookin’ there. You’ll never find any comfort in
yourselves. Some look to God the Father. No, look to Him by-and-by. Jesus Christ says, ‘Look unto Me’. Some on ye say, ‘We must wait for the Spirit’s workin’.’ You have no business with that just now. Look to Christ. The text says. ‘Look unto Me.’ ”23
The preacher spoke for about ten minutes before completely running out of things to say. He then looked out into the congregation and, with so few there, knew Spurgeon to be a stranger. He looked directly at Spurgeon and said, “Young man, you look very miserable.”24 Spurgeon, of course, agreed. He must have looked quite
downcast, and though he was not accustomed to have preachers remark on his appearance
20 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:105.
21 Ibid.
22 Ibid., 1:105–6.
23 Ibid., 1:106.
24 Ibid.
from the pulpit, it was an affective blow. The preacher continued, “and you always will be miserable—miserable in life, and miserable in death,—if you don’t obey my text; but if you obey now, this moment, you will be saved.”25 He then lifted up his hands and shouted, “Young man, look to Jesus Christ. Look! Look! Look! You have nothin’ to do but to look and live.” At once, Spurgeon saw the way of salvation. He did not know what else was said that day but was possessed by the thought of looking to Christ and being saved.26
Spurgeon stated that when he first received the gospel of salvation he thought that he had never really heard it before. He considered that the preachers to whom he had listened had never truly preached it. However, in retrospect, he reconsidered this idea.
Rather, he was sure that he had heard the gospel fully preached to him many hundreds of times, but this time was different. Before believing, he did not truly hear it. When he finally did hear the gospel for the first time in that Primitive Methodist chapel, the message was probably no clearer than other times that he heard it preached. This time
“the power of the Holy Spirit was present to open my ear, and to guide the message to my heart.”27 Spurgeon’s troubled heart found rest. “The Holy Spirit, who enabled me to believe, gave me peace through believing. I felt as sure that I was forgiven as before I felt sure of condemnation.”28
Sent to Preach
Spurgeon was filled with zeal for the gospel. Soon after his conversion, he looked for ways to be of service to the Lord.
I think that, when I was first converted to God, if the Lord had said, “I have taken
25 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:106.
26 Ibid.
27 Ibid., 1:102.
28 Ibid., 1:111.
you into My house, and I am going to make use of you, and you shall be a door-mat for the saints to wipe their feet on,” I should have said, “Ah, happy shall I be if I may but take the filth off their blessed feet, for I love God’s people; and if I may minister to them in the slightest degree, it shall be my delight!”29
He found a way to serve the Lord through the distribution of tracts. He placed tracts in envelopes and sealed them up to be sent. His hope was that if he chose the pertinent tracts and distributed them to the right people, God would bless his efforts. He also took other tracts and passed them out in certain districts in the town of Newmarket.
He went from house to house telling all who would listen of the things of the Kingdom of God. In reminiscing about this, he noted, “I might have done nothing for Christ if I had not been encouraged by finding myself able to do a little.”30
Spurgeon was busy all week with school, but he was free on Saturday
afternoons. Though he might have been wise to give this time to rest, he instead used this time to distribute tracts and visit the poor. On Sundays, Spurgeon taught a class and eventually began addressing the Sunday-school.31 At one of the Sunday-school teachers’
meetings, those in attendance agreed that the male teachers should take turns giving a few words of address on the lesson, alternating with the superintendent. When Spurgeon’s turn came, he did a fine job, and the superintendent then asked him to take his place in addressing the school on the following Sunday. Spurgeon did so and again did well. The superintendent then asked him to address the children every Sunday. Spurgeon objected that this was not fair to the other teachers. The superintendent relented, but he still asked Spurgeon to speak when it was the superintendent’s week to give the address.32
In the town where Spurgeon attended school, James Vinter led a group of preachers who proclaimed the gospel to the surrounding villages. Vinter asked Spurgeon
29 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:179-80
30 Ibid., 1:180.
31 Ibid., 1:180–81.
32 Ibid., 1:182.
to go to a nearby village to attend a Sunday evening service. He told Spurgeon that a young man was going to preach and that he would be glad to have the company. This was a cleverly devised sentence, and Spurgeon came to greatly admire Vinter’s ingenuity in crafting it. For if Vinter had requested that Spurgeon go to this village and preach, Spurgeon would have refused. However, since the request was for him to accompany a fellow believer who did not like to be lonely, Spurgeon readily agreed. Spurgeon began traveling with a young man a few years older than him. After chatting for a few minutes, Spurgeon expressed his hope that he would feel the presence of God while preaching.
The other young man was startled and said that he had never preached and would not be able to even attempt to do so. He was there as company for the young man who would be preaching which he assumed was Spurgeon. Though Spurgeon objected that he was unprepared, the other young man was firm and said that there would be no sermon if Spurgeon did not deliver one.33
Spurgeon determined that it would be wrong to let the people go home without a word from God. He said that he would depend upon the power of the Holy Spirit and at least proclaim the story of the cross.34 Spurgeon, then a boy of sixteen, stood up for the first time to preach the gospel. He was in a cottage with a handful of poor people gathered for worship. He took for his text “Unto you therefore which believe he is precious.” (1 Peter 2:7) Spurgeon did not think he could preach from any other text.
Christ was precious to his soul, and he could not keep silent when Jesus was the subject.
Not a few months before, he was in bondage, and he “had not forgotten the broken fetter.”35
From his conversion to his start in ministry the ministry, Spurgeon was
33 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:200.
34 Ibid., 1:201.
35 C. H. Spurgeon, “Christ Precious to Believers,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol.
5 (London: Passmore & Alabaster, 1859), 137.
seemingly led by the Holy Spirit. His soul was prepared for the grace of the gospel through the Spirit’s work of conviction. Yet when the time came for Spurgeon to believe, he was led to a chapel he did not intend on visiting and heard a man who did not intend on preaching that day all because of a snowstorm. Once converted, he had a passion to serve the Lord, yet throughout, he was continually compelled to do more.
I can truly say, that I never did anything which was a blessing to my fellow-
creatures without feeling compelled to do it. For instance, before I thought of going to a Sabbath-school to teach, someone called,—asked me,—begged me,—prayed me to take his class. I could not refuse to go; and there I was, held hand and foot by the superintendent, and was compelled to go on. Then I was asked to address the children; I thought I could not, but I stood up, and stammered out a few words. It was the same on the first occasion when I attempted to preach to the people,—I am sure I had no wish to do it,—but there was no one else in the place who could, and the little congregation must have gone away without a single word of warning or invitation. How could I suffer it? I felt forced to address them; and so it has been with whatever I have laid my hand to. I have always felt a kind of impulse which I could not resist; but, moreover, I have felt placed by Providence in such a position that I had no wish to avoid the duty, and if I had desired it, I could not have helped myself.36
Midsummer Commons
In 1851, at the age of seventeen, Spurgeon began preaching in a town called Waterbeach. He was soon asked to become the pastor of the church in this town. At the same time, Spurgeon sought to more fully prepare for the ministry and was advised to enter Stepney College, later called Regent’s Park College. Dr. Angus, the tutor of the college, arranged a meeting with Spurgeon at the house of Mr. Macmillan. Spurgeon entered the house at exactly the appointed time and was shown into a room where he waited patiently for a couple hours. He was far too aware of his own insignificance and the greatness of the tutor to enquire about the long delay. After waiting as long as he could, Spurgeon was forced to leave to attend to some school duties. He spoke to the servant of the house who told him that Dr. Angus waited in another room until he could stay no longer and went to London by train. The servant never informed either of the
36 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:183.
other’s presence and, though in the same house, the meeting never occurred.37
Spurgeon saw this missed opportunity as a work of the Holy Spirit. “I was not a little disappointed at the moment, but have a thousand times since thanked the Lord very heartily for the strange Providence which forced my steps into another path.”38 In a state of contemplation, Spurgeon walked over Midsummer Common on the way to a preaching engagement. He was still wrestling with the idea of entering college. He was then “startled by what seemed a loud voice, but which may have been a singular illusion.”39 Either way, the impression was vivid and intense, and Spurgeon seemed to distinctly hear the words, “Seekest thou great things for thyself? Seek them not!”40 Spurgeon admitted that if it were not for those words, he would have probably never accomplished what he has accomplished. He consciously obeyed those words and never saw a reason to regret it. One dissertation claimed that this event was evidence of
Spurgeon’s mysticism; however, since there is scant evidence of such a claim, this event more clearly points to Spurgeon as a man led by the Holy Spirit.41
Criticism
While it seems odd from a twenty-first century perspective, Spurgeon was often heavily criticized. Most of this criticism came from other Christians. Though it was seemingly motivated by envy, it had devastating consequences on Spurgeon. However, through these storms, Spurgeon was comforted by the Divine Paraclete. While many sought his destruction, wrote vicious things about him, and even orchestrated the deaths of those who came to listen to him, Spurgeon remained faithful. Spurgeon eloquently
37 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 1:241.
38 Ibid., 1:241–2.
39 Ibid., 1:242.
40 Ibid.
41 Crook, “The Contributive Factors,” 110–20.
addressed his slanderers in a sermon in 1856.
I am the subject of detraction, but I can point to hundreds of souls that have been saved on earth by my feeble instrumentality, and my reply to all my enemies is this,
“You may say what you like; but seeing these lame men are healed, can you say anything against them? You may find fault with the style or manner, but God saves souls, and we will hold up that fact, like giant Goliath’s head, to show you that although it was nothing but a sling or stone, so much the better, for God has gotten the victory.”42
James Wells
One of Spurgeon’s most vicious attackers was a fellow Baptist minster named James Wells. He was a leading pastor among the London Strict Baptists who thought Spurgeon’s sermons contained too little of the things of Calvinism. Spurgeon would disagree. “And I have my own private opinion that there is no such a thing as preaching Christ and him crucified, unless you preach what now-a-days is called Calvinism. . . . It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else.”43 Rather than comradery, Spurgeon found animosity from the other Calvinistic Baptists in London.
James Wells was one of the more vocal and hurtful critics. In January 1855, eight months after Spurgeon became the pastor of New Park Street Chapel in London, Wells wrote a long article for The Earthen Vessel. Wells, under the pseudonym Job, claimed to have doubts about Spurgeon’s conversion.44 Wells stated that Spurgeon’s ministry was “most awfully deceptive”, produces false converts, and will soon have the numerous people who came to hear him leave in droves.45 Nettles noted that Wells put forth five reasoned arguments that prove Spurgeon’s ministry was a fatal delusion. The sum of these arguments was that Wells believed that Spurgeon “exhibited only the form
42 C. H. Spurgeon, “Omniscience,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 2 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1856), 255.
43 C. H. Spurgeon, “Christ Crucified,” in The New Park Street Pulpit Sermons, vol. 1 (London:
Passmore & Alabaster, 1855), 50.
44 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 2:36-7.
45 Ibid., 2:39.
of Christianity but none of the Holy Spirit power of it.”46
Spurgeon responded to this attack by showing that Wells may not have been wise to rebuke the young pastor. “I find much stir has been made by ‘Job’s letter’, and hosts of unknown persons have risen up on my behalf. It seems very likely that King James (James Wells) will shake his own throne by lifting his hand against one of the Lord’s little ones.”47 A contemporary biographer, G. Holden Pike, said Spurgeon wrote to a dying Wells, saying, “Personally I own my great obligations to the furnace and the hammer; and I am sure that you also rejoice in the assurance that tribulation worketh patience, and brings, through the supply of the Spirit, a long train of blessings with it.”48 Spurgeon saw the leading of the Holy Spirit even in the criticism of fellow workers of the kingdom.
Surrey Gardens Tragedy
The criticism that Spurgeon received continued throughout his ministry with his later years being occupied with the Downgrade Controversy. However, one event remains as a clear culmination of the criticism he faced. It began with the New Park Street Chapel realizing that their building was far too small the crowds of people who wanted to hear Spurgeon preach. The church occupied Exeter Hall for several weeks, but the directors of Exeter Hall refused to let New Park Street Chapel further occupy that place. The church then decided to rent the Music Hall of the Royal Surrey Gardens for one month beginning on the third Sunday in October 1856.49
On October 19th, twelve thousand people gathered in the music hall to hear
46 Tom Nettles, Living by Revealed Truth: The Life and Pastoral Theology of Charles Haddon Spurgeon (Fearn, Scotland: Christian Focus, 2013), 95.
47 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 2:19.
48 G. Holdedn Pike, The Life and Work of C.H. Spurgeon, 6 vols. (London: Cassell &
Company, Limited, 1894), 5:35.
49 Spurgeon, Autobiography, 2:199.
